There is no money in the Russian Federation: intelligence is funded by cigarette and heroin smuggling - the media

In the framework of the joint operation of the Border Guard Service of Poland, the Belgian Customs and the police, in early September, they found a group of smugglers based in Belarus and transported 57 million cigarettes and 48 tons of tobacco in Belgium illegal factories in Belgium with a total value of more than 32 million euros. About it reports Vice.

NATO and EU representatives believe that such a large -scale operation was conducted under the state control of Belarusian and Russian intelligence and was done to fill in income lost due to sanctions. This operation was performed after the raids at two factories for the production of counterfeit cigarettes in Lithuania. It is believed that such enterprises were directly guided by the FSB related criminal groups.

These plants produced counterfeit products under the brand of popular brands in the United Kingdom. The total amount of products withdrawn is estimated at 73 million euros. According to a representative of the Belgian police, it is easier to establish tobacco production than organizing a drug lab and the risks are not so high. "After the war in Ukraine, sanctions we observe more open support for these operations by state agencies of Belarus and Russia.

First of all, the mafia paid the governments for protection, now, in view of all, this became a way of obtaining a solid currency to fill in income lost through sanctions ", - said a police representative. Initially, illegal factories in Lithuania were seen as an ordinary case, but in the future Belgian intelligence found that these operations were essentially managed by intelligence from Moscow. This was done in order to help support spy activities in the Baltic States.

In 2022, five illegal tobacco production and 15 warehouses were found in Belgium, with more than 274 million cigarettes, 88 tons of sliced ​​tobacco, 65 tons of hookah tobacco and 40 tons of raw materials. The seized products are estimated at 139 million euros. "We note a significant increase in activity to obtain money for government operations designed to destabilize Western Europe.

Such cases were still, but in scale it is a tsunami of illegal activities supported by such figures as Putin," NATO said. Law enforcement officers managed to monitor that an increase in drug trafficking, human trafficking, fake goods and others is directly supported by Moscow. After the large -scale invasion of Russian troops into Ukraine and the introduction of restrictions that influence the Russian economy and do not allow the Kremlin regime to operate in Europe.

In the Russian Federation, the focus was shifted towards the criminal environment. The aforementioned criminal activity has become more open and is considered to finance Russian intelligence. "To work in Western and Central Europe, they need a solid currency, we have confirmation that there is a shortage of cash in Russia for secret intelligence that previously funded by Russian oligarchs at Moscow's instructions," said police representative from Central Europe.

- And we see the transition Absolutely illegal activity - drugs, counterfeit products, illegal sale of oil and gas, and even illegal production of pharmaceutical products, in particular in Belarus. ”According to some estimates, related to Russia, the grouping is controlled by at least a third of the supply of heroin coming from Central Asia. "Putin needs a cache, and the Taliban needs a cache," NATO representative explained.

- Afghans and Russians have a long history of drug trafficking relations, and we are already seeing an increase in smuggling on northern European routes. If before there were any restrictions on drug flows from east to west by Putin, then with the introduction of sanctions they disappeared. "Recall that Russian troops are considering several scenarios in the south. Forces on the right.